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UB Dental Van Partners With Jamestown Pediatric Associates

Just in time for the start of the school year, the University at Buffalo Dental Van has partnered with Jamestown Pediatric Associates.

The van will be in the parking lot of the Fairmount Avenue office until Aug. 31 to offer various services including exams, cleanings, fillings and extractions. The van has often visited the Chautauqua County area and has made a more permanent arrangement with the pediatric office, allowing them to visit every summer going forward.

Sarah Barry, a dentist with the UB Dental Van program, said they have been located at Jamestown Pediatrics since the beginning of August, and have already been seeing patients regularly.

While they can perform a variety of services in the van, there are a few that cannot be done there. Barry said patients that need something that is unavailable in the van can be referred to local community providers or to the UB Dental School.

While the van focuses mainly on children’s dental health, Barry said they have had other events for veterans and other adults.

“Currently, I’m seeing a mix on Monday and Tuesday,” she said. “Fridays, I have my pediatric dentist here who only sees kids. But she can do more complicated procedures on kids’ teeth.”

Barry said they are seeing quite a few patients each day, but the number of appointments depends on how many providers are on staff at the time.

“Typically, we’re looking at seven to 12 a day, depending on difficulty and complications,” she said.

Barry said the dental van program has been coming to Chautauqua County for “decades now.”

“Typically, we’re in the schools, going from school to school, so parents who absolutely can’t get out of work (can) sign a form, we pull (the student) from class, take care of their needs, and they go back to class,” she said. “Everything can be done for them, and the parents are sent letters. We’re supporting parents who can’t access care for their kids, and then the community as a whole.”

The van is currently being supported by the Mother Cabrini Foundation, which has supported various outreaches the program has held.

“They have been giving us grants for years now,” Barry said. “They have been such a support.”

She is glad to have a more permanent place for the van during the summers and is excited about the new partnership with Jamestown Pediatric Associates. “Jamestown Peds has actually installed a plug, so this will be one of our permanent summer locations,” she said.

At other times, the van will be located at local school districts around the area, including Dunkirk and Brocton. During those times, the van can only treat children in those areas.

“We’ve been a part of this community for a really long time — I personally have been on this van almost 10 years,” Barry said. “I even saw a patient today that I’ve been seeing for seven to eight years. (I am) watching these kids grow up, and supporting their needs. I think having a place where they know and can remember and form bonds with their dentists is an amazing thing. Supporting this community is really important — it’s a long-standing program.”

Jon Kazsuba, University at Buffalo fourth-year dental student, said he has found his time with the dental van to be rewarding.

“We do a lot of our work out of downtown Buffalo, so it’s kind of nice to reach out to Jamestown,” Kazsuba said. “We commute down — it’s a rotation we have at the school. I think everyone will have it once or twice during the year. It’s a good learning experience, and it’s a nice outreach to the people of the community.”

He said the students get a lot of exposure to different dental issues during their time with the van, which helps them learn and grow as dentists. Kazsuba said the experience shows that the services offered by the van are needed here in Chautauqua County.

“Dentistry is something that some people can’t afford,” Kazsuba said. “It’s nice to give back and come as a student and offer our service while providing a pleasant experience.”

The UB Dental Van is will be located at 816 Fairmount Ave. in Jamestown until Aug. 31. The van is operational on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For an appointment, patients are asked to call 803-3699 or 560-5127.

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